SkillSelect webpage goes live!

The SkillSelect website goes live!

This site provides information on SkillSelect, details on the Expression of Interest (EOI) and invitation process, and what information you will have to provide when you submit an EOI.

You will notice that the SkillSelect web page looks different to other pages on our website. Please let us know what you think about the new website design or the content we have published. Your feedback will assist us in improving the delivery of information to our clients.

Although the website has been launched, you will not be able to submit an EOI until 1 July 2012.

We plan to publish more information on the SkillSelect website in early April, including information on the new visa subclasses. Our blog will also continue to keep you up to date with SkillSelect and its implementation.

We encourage you to read our previous blogs on SkillSelect here as they may answer many of the questions you have about SkillSelect.

SkillSelect will calculate any points you receive for age based on the date of birth you entered when you submitted your EOI. If your age changes while your EOI is active and this results in a change in the allocated points score for that age, then SkillSelect will update your points score and ranking automatically. SkillSelect will also notify you electronically that the system has updated your points score.

It is important to remember, that the points score is only relevant for the independent, family sponsored, business skills and state/territory sponsored skilled visa programs. If you do not meet the minimum points score, you can still be found and selected by an employer for the employer sponsorship under the ENS, RSMS or 457 visa programs.

I think the previous comment makes a strong point. Not only age but also the english language test results (which usually has an expiry time of two years) can expire during the time between submitting the EOI and receiving invitations. It seems imperative that the visa conditions be evaluated based on the information supplied in the EOI.

Not considering this can lead to potential abuse of the EOI system. Take for instance a person who has *not* done the english language test and submits an EOI claiming he has test results that puts him at 65 or 70 points. He will be invited ahead of other legitimate applicants who are below him at 65 points. Once the invitation is received, this person has up to 4 months (60×2 days) to complete his language test and submit results before his invitations expire. A similar scenario allows applicants to submit EOIs prior to completing their work experience requirements.

Therefore I think it is more suitable to enforce applicants to submit the same information in the EOI which will later be considered for the visa application.

Hi Bandara – Thank you for your comment and valuable questions. We hope the information below is of assistance.

From 1 July 2012, the department is proposing to consider English language tests valid for 3 years from time of issue, which will assist in ensuring your test result stays valid while your EOI is active in SkillSelect. As long as your English language test results are valid at the time you submit your EOI, SkillSelect will allow you to submit an EOI. If your English language test results expires before your receive an invitation, you will need to re-sit an English language test and update your EOI with these details. It is important to understand that your English language test results must be valid at the time you receive an invitation. If your English Language Test result expires then SkillSelect will automatically remove you from future invitation rounds until you update your results in the system.

You will be unable to submit an EOI unless you answer all the required questions for the visa(s) you have expressed interest in. Therefore, if the requirement of a visa is to have completed an English language test and skills assessment, these details must be entered at the time of EOI submission or your EOI cannot be submitted into the system and will not be available for selection.

The information you supply at the time you submit your EOI must be accurate. If you receive an invitation and the information you supply on your visa application is different from what you stated on your EOI then your visa application may be refused. It is your responsibility to update your EOI in SkillSelect if any of your details change.

To clarify, an invitation will be valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. Therefore you must lodge a valid visa application within the 60 days or it will be invalid.

I’m interested to know what information will be published to allow employers to identify suitably skilled candidates. This is the part of the old system that never worked at all (the old skill matching database) so it surprises me that you want to continue to pursue it in the new skills select model.

Employers can search SkillSelect using a range of criteria, such as:
 Skilled worker’s occupation
 Qualifications
 English Language ability
 Willingness to work in regional Australia and specific areas within Australia.

SkillSelect will be completely different to the Skill Matching Database (SMD).

It is envisaged that SkillSelect will contain information on more skilled workers than the SMD. This is due to the compulsory nature of the EOI process for many of the visa programs. SkillSelect will be more user-friendly for skilled workers, as they will be able to easily update their EOIs online when required rather than the more cumbersome process under the SMD. Rather than uploading a resume, such as skilled workers did in SMD, skilled workers will be asked a series of questions directly related to the visa(s) they are interested in. This will allow greater search functionality for employers to search for skilled workers using these criteria and the information displayed will be more consistent and relevant to visa requirements.

One of the main concerns with SMD was that skilled workers details would remain in the database after they had received a visa or lodged a visa application and were therefore no longer available to be considered for employment or sponsorship. Under SkillSelect, skilled workers who have: received an invitation, lodged a visa application or been granted/refused a visa application will not be available to view by an employer. This will ensure employers will only be searching for and contacting skilled workers who are actively waiting to be contacted to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

SkillSelect has the ability for employers to search for skilled workers who have indicated a willingness to work in regional Australia and in specific regions. This will assist employers who are seeking to address skill shortages in regional areas. This feature was not available under the SMD.

Thank you for the informative blogs so for on SkillSelect. If I may, I have two questions on

1) With respect to the Business Skills class of visas, will all categories be points tested from 1 July 2012? If so, will the points test be the same as the current one, or will it be revised?

2) This is a very simple question, so please accept my apologies in advance – DIAC has mentioned several times that applications lodged before 1 July 2012 will be subject to whatever processing priority direction exists after 1 July 2012.

Can you confirm that any GSM application lodged prior to 1 July 2012 will _not_ be subject to SkillSelect (i.e. their application will be tested against the current threshold of 65 points, and the visa will be granted provided all relevant criteria are met)?

Hi Nick – we hope the below information is helpful in answering your questions. Thank you for supporting the blog.

1) The review of the business skills visa program is currently being finalised. Details about the business skills visas and how they will operate under SkillSelect will be announced by the Minister shortly. We encourage you to keep checking the departmental website and the blog for further announcements regarding the Business Skills program.

2) SkillSelect will not effect applications lodged before 1 July 2012.
Applications lodged before 1 July 2012 will be processed under the existing visa framework, that is, applicants who choose to apply for a visa will need to meet the legislative requirements in place at the time they apply.

Regardless of whether a person submits an application before or after 1 July 2012, their application will be processed in the order set by the current priority processing direction.

Our processing centres are required to process skilled migration applications in the order set by a Ministerial Direction on processing priority. Priority is accorded to those categories of applicants found to bring the most benefit to Australia at a particular time. This means priority processing arrangements may change in response to the economic climate and the demand for particular skills in the Australian economy. If there is a change to the priority processing direction this change will apply to current applications, including those in the final stages of processing.

Hi,
i just had a question in mind. Those people who have already applied for 485 and are on bridging visas, will they be coming under the new rules on 1 july 2012.
in my case i applied for 485 on june 14- 2011. currently iam doing a PY to reach 65 points( which I have reached already) but i cannot apply for my 885 bcus my 485 is not granted as yet. If it is not granted till 1 july 2012, will we be applying under the skills select or under the current rules for pr.

Once SkillSelect is introduced anyone can lodge an expression of interest (EOI), including people in Australia who hold a Bridging Visa A, B or C. We are finalising work around the legislative framework, and will be able to provide more information in the next few weeks. I’d suggest you check the our website or this blog for any updates that are announced.

Hi, Just wanted to confirm that are the allocation dates for GSM visas correct and accurate. currently, 18th january is the allocation date for 485… what does that mean? does that mean all applications before 18 january are assigned a case officer..